title: [A rare case of acute abdomen: perforated acute diverticulitis of the cecum].
abstract: The Authors report a rare case of perforated diverticulitis of the cecum. The patient was a 68-year-old man who was referred to the Authors attention with the classic symptoms of acute appendicitis. During laparotomy a perforated "omentum-sealed" diverticulum was found on the lateral wall of the cecum, whereas the appendix appeared to be completed unaffected. A right hemicolectomy was performed. The Authors analyse the similarities and peculiarity of the case. Special attention is drawn to the problems of differential diagnosis raised by this pathology. A preoperative diagnosis is arduous because the disease is difficult to distinguish from acute appendicitis and may be even difficult to distinguish it intraoperatively from a carcinoma of the cecum. There is no characteristic clinical pattern pointing to this diagnosis. Diagnostic maneuvers are usually unrewarding. Right hemicolectomy is a safe procedure when the diagnosis is doubtful.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Cantania.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mosca
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stracqualursi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Piazza
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Zappalà
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lanzafame
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Latteri
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D002429:Cecal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003082:Colectomy / Q000379:methods; D004238:Diverticulitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
vernacular_title: Una rara causa di addome acuto: la diverticolite acuta perforata del cieco.